Apparatus for continuous induction heating

ABSTRACT

The apparatus for continuous induction heating comprises a generator of alternating current, feeding an inductor through which pass rails provided with a vibratory movement, and is characterized by the fact that the inductor is disposed around the rails which are secured by means of supports to a receptacle animated by rotating vibrations around an axis traversing the receptacle from bottom to top. The upstream ends of the rails plunge inside the receptacle, whereas the free down-stream ends thereof are located outside the receptacle.

United States Patent [1 1 Klopfert 1 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS INDUCTION HEATING [75] Inventor: Louis Klopfert, Bruxelles, Belgium [73] Assignee: Elphiac, Bruxelles, Belgium [22] Filed: Jan. 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 215,024

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data I Jan. 6, 1971 Belgium PV 2763 [52] U.S. Cl 219/10.69, 198/136, 198/220, 219/1079 [51] Int. Cl. H05b 5/08 [58] Field of Search 219/1069, 10.79,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,208

3/1964 Secunda 198/220 A X [451 July 3,1973

3,187,152 6/1965 Itoyg 219/1069 2,853,180 9/1958 White 198/136 X 2,945,935 7/1960 Messner et al.. 219/1069 X 2,052,010 8/1936 Bailey 219/1069 3,320,397 5/1967 Alexander et al. 219/1069 Primary Examiner-J. V. Truhe Assistant Examiner-B. A. Reynolds Attorney-Raymond A. Robic [5 7 ABSTRACT The apparatus for continuous induction heating comprises a generator of alternating current, feeding an inductor through which pass rails provided with a vibratory movement, and is characterized by the fact that the inductor is disposed around the rails which are secured by means of supports to a receptacle animated by rotating vibrations around an axis traversing the receptacle from bottom to top. The upstream ends of the rails plunge inside the receptacle, whereas the free down-stream ends thereof are located outside the receptacle.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 2 Sheets-Sheet I FIG. 2

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS INDUCTION HEATING The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuous induction heating, comprising a generator of alternating current, feeding the inductor, and rails animated by a vibratory movement passing through the inductor.

This kind of apparatuses is already known. However, they did not provide the expected commercial success for various complex reasons which are difficult to analyse. Among the reasons, it may be cited the fact that the known apparatuses were not capable of conveying the relatively heavy parts to be heated, and they were not capable of admitting the parts to be heated in bulk form.

The present invention has for its object to remedy the disadvantages of the existing apparatuses.

It is characterized by the fact that the inductor is disposed around rails which are rigidly secured, by means of supports, to a receptacle provided with rotating vibrations around an axis which traverses the receptacle from bottom to top. The upstream free ends of the rails are plunged inside the receptacle, whereas the downstream free ends thereof are located outside the receptacle. The inductor may be mounted on the vibrating ensemble, or may be suspended from a stationary beam, straight or curved, which follows the rails, for instance according to an arc of a circle around the axis of the vibrating movement, according to the adequate techniques. For instance, if it is desired to have a joined series of the pieces to be heated, the advancing impulsions applied to the pieces at the downstream end are less powerful than those applied to them at the upstream end of the inductor. This is obtained, if the rails inside the inductor are located closer to the axis of the vibrating movement as the downstream free end is approached. The reverse disposition, which admits the utilization of the straight parts of the rails, permits the obtaining of a series of parts which are not in contact with each other. This may be useful for avoiding any sticking.

Preferably, the rails passingthrough the inductor are maintained by means of an electrical insulating mass or body, inside an annular and very heavy member to which is secured the receptacle. The annular member may form the edge of the receptacle.

The invention is explained hereinbelow by means of an example having reference to the appended drawings, wherein: I

' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through the edge of the receptacle.

- FIG/l shows a generator of alternating current 1,

provided with a support 2, curved as an arc of circle. Several units 3 of a heating inductor are suspended from support 2.

A pair of rails 4 also curved as an arc of circle, passes through the inductor without touching it.

The center of the arcs of circle of the inductor and of the rails are located on an axis 5 traversing from bottom to top a receptacle 6 and form the axis of a vibratory rotating movement generated for example by two cam provided asynchron motors (not shown).

The upstream ends of the rails 4 are plunged or sunk I in the receptacle 6, wherein it may be poured in bulk form the parts to be heated 7.

The expression upstream end designates the extremities of the rails which receivethe pieces to be heated, at the beginning of their travel. These extremities are not located at the upper part of the receptacle, but at the lowest part thereof. At this location, the parts to be heated 7 line up under the influence of the vibratory movement and the shape of the bottom of the receptacle in front of the upstream extremities of the pair of rails 4, and ascendently engage in the slope of the rails for passing through the inductors 3,3 and afterwards for coming out from the free downstream end of the rails (not shown).

In simple cases, the rails may convey the parts to be heated from the bottom of the receptacle directly towards the exterior peripheral edge of receptacle 6 wherein is located the inductor 3,3. In this case, the edge is relatively high, in order to assure a sufficient distance of the rails on which the parts-may line up, by means of eliminating baffles (not shown) for the parts which take wrong positions.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the recep tacle 6 is equipped with a column 8. The upstream end of the rails 4 plunge into the bottom of the receptacle 6 along the lower part of column 8. Afterwards, rails 4 helically climb along column 8 until they reach the top 9 of the trajectory. From the point, the rails come down forming a curve which diverges from the axis of the vibratory movement and approaches the edge 10 of the receptacle 6 with which they are rigidly connected in an electrically insulated manner by means of supports 11. As the importance of the advancing pushes or impulsions is more significant with respect to the edge 10 than with respect to column 8, the parts-to be heated pass through the inductor 3,3 without making contact with each other.

The insulated securing of the rails to the edge 10 is shown in FIG. 2. The edge 10 is formed of a square tube filled with concrete. To this edge is secured, by means of screws and connecting elements 12, the receptacle 6. Cross-bars 13 are provided inside the.

square tube. Supports 11 for the rails 4 are equipped with hooked bases 14 which are embedded in the concrete through adequate openings or holes 15 provided in the square tube.

Naturally, auxiliary devices may be also be provided. For instance the vibratory movement may be controlled intermittently or at variable speeds for slowing down or accelarating the rhythm or for allowing the attainment of more or less high heating temperatures in the parts to be heated. To this end, it is possible for example to provide a feeler or a photo-electric detector at the inlet and/or exit end of the inductors, to thus control a device for regulating the speeds of the motors,.and to associate thedetectors with a time-switch and eventually with a counting mechanism, for securing that all the parts to be heated remain for a predetermined time inside the inductor.

The vibration generating means be, for instance, a motor with an eccentric 16, eccentrically connected inside column 8 and pivotable around its axis.

I claimz.

comprising:

a. a receptacle for receiving workpieces to be heated, pivotable around an axis traversing said receptacle from bottom to top,

b. rails on which may glide the workpieces to be heated secured by means of supports to said receptacle, having upstream ends, downstream free ends and a median part between said upstream and downstream ends, said median part being curved so as to describe an ascending part beginning with the upstream end on the bottom of the receptacle and a descending part terminating with the downstream free ends located outside of said receptacle,

c. a vibration generating means mechanically connected to said receptacle to generate rotating vibrations around said axis for transmitting them to the rails secured to the receptacle, I

d. an inductor surrounding the said descending part of the rails in the neighbourhood of the downstream free ends, and

e. a generator of alternating current feeding the inductor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inductor is suspended from acurved beam which is located above said rails. I

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supports for said rails are secured to a heavy annular member by means of an electrical insulating body and wherein said receptacle is secured to said annular member.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said an nular member forms the edge of said receptacle.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said annular member is made of a tube filled with concrete and is provided with openings from which project said supports of the rails, said supports being embedded in said concrete and being isolated from said tube by said concrete.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receptacle is provided with a central column surrounding said axis, the upstream free ends of said rails being helically wounded around said column.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the top of the helice is higher than the part of said rails passing through said inductor. 

1. An apparatus for continuous induction heating, comprising: a. a receptacle for receiving workpieces to be heated, pivotable around an axis traversing said receptacle from bottom to top, b. rails on which may glide the workpieces to be heated secured by means of supports to said receptacle, having upstream ends, downstream free ends and a median part between said upstream and downstream ends, said median part being curved so as to describe an ascenDing part beginning with the upstream end on the bottom of the receptacle and a descending part terminating with the downstream free ends located outside of said receptacle, c. a vibration generating means mechanically connected to said receptacle to generate rotating vibrations around said axis for transmitting them to the rails secured to the receptacle, d. an inductor surrounding the said descending part of the rails in the neighbourhood of the downstream free ends, and e. a generator of alternating current feeding the inductor.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inductor is suspended from a curved beam which is located above said rails.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supports for said rails are secured to a heavy annular member by means of an electrical insulating body and wherein said receptacle is secured to said annular member.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said annular member forms the edge of said receptacle.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said annular member is made of a tube filled with concrete and is provided with openings from which project said supports of the rails, said supports being embedded in said concrete and being isolated from said tube by said concrete.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receptacle is provided with a central column surrounding said axis, the upstream free ends of said rails being helically wounded around said column.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the top of the helice is higher than the part of said rails passing through said inductor. 